


The Young Prince

by itsyagirljess



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Elemental Magic, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan Manga Spoilers, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:42:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29331771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsyagirljess/pseuds/itsyagirljess
Summary: Magic AU where instead of titans, there’s magic. And instead of scout Eren Yaeger, its heir to the throne Eren Yaeger.Eren’s a keen young prince with all the passion in the world. The boy loves his royal duties, his parents and his friends. Although, dealing with a marriage he doesn’t want but has to endure – he doesn’t love.Every cloud has its silver lining, as the foul-mouthed raven Eren meets as a result is quite the perk.Eventual Eren/Levi
*Now featuring art on ch 1 and 2!
Relationships: Armin Arlert/Annie Leonhart, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Levi Ackerman/Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman/Jean Kirstein
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Haven't written much the past years, but really felt the urge to make this as we are coming to the end of this beloved series.  
> Manga spoilers ahead.

** The Great War **

_Centuries from the present, there was once a unified, prosperous nation. Encompassed by crystal blue sea, the lush, green land was scattered with endlessly tall forests and wide-reaching plains. In the centre lay a kingdom, a haven, known to its people as "Eldia". The kingdom was not ruled by one, but nine individuals, gifted with the nine most powerful, deadly magic by the great goddess, Ymir._

_Peace blessed the kingdom for hundreds of hundreds of years. Those who possessed the gift of Ymir had passed their power onto the most budding of their children, who did the same to theirs. The nine families ruled the land just and equally. However, this was not to last, as greed, pride and power created tense relations between the families, who eventually grew to resent each other. For each year to pass, their relations grew worse, and the people of Eldia suffered for it._

_In year 743, conflicts between the royal families were at an all-time high. With peace no longer being an option, war between the families ensued. Blood, violence and death cemented the year 743 as the first year of The Great War. With thousands of innocence dying for a war with no end, King Helos, ninth holder of Ymir's gift, sacrificed his life to divide his power with the people of Eldia, granting them the ability to cast magic in order to spare their selves and families. By the brink of the coming decade, the war had come to an end. Eldia, a nation of all, was now separated from a newly founded Marley, a kingdom beyond the sea._

_Paradis, formerly Eldia, was now ruled by the first holder of Ymir's gift, King Yaeger. The neighbouring nation, Marley, was ruled by the second holder, King Reiss. The Tybur, Leonhart, and Braun families, now aristocrats, resided in Marley. For the missing holders, their fate remained unknown, however it was concluded that they succumbed to the war._

_Marley proved to be a ruthless nation. Over the coming decades, Marley invaded many of the regions of which belonged to Paradis. However, their attempt to capture Paradis land beyond the sea was met with great failure, as King Yaeger’s mighty power, combined with the Eldians newly gifted abilities from King Helos, proved too great for even four holders of the gifts of Ymir. To protect his people, King Yaeger commanded that three walls be built to enclose Paradis, naming them after the goddess’ three daughters: Sheena, Rose and Maria._

_The construction of the tall, looming walls was enough to put the uprising of Marley at a temporary halt. Finally, those who lost so much during The Great War could at last mourn._

_This brings us to the present; year 843. King Grisha Yaeger’s son with queen consort Carla Yaeger, young Eren Yaeger, is set to meet his betrothed, Krista Lenz. A bright young girl from the Noble House of Lenz._

* * *

** Year 843 **

It had to be one of the hottest days of the summer. Eren squirmed uncomfortably in the long sleeved dark-green and gold suit his mother had eagerly made him wear. He thought it was hardly appropriate wear for such a torturous day, but his mother was so adamant that he wore it. 

“Oh, Eren she’s a dreeeeeam!! Her hair is the colour of the early morning sun, hair eyes like the diamonds on your mother’s necklace, her face- “

Eren groaned from the top of silk-sheeted bed. “Ymir, you idiot! You keep saying that like I care!”

Ymir’s father was a servant within the castle. Sitting next to the young prince’s best-friend duo Mikasa and Armin on the floor of the highly decorated prince’s room, the young girl grumbled in agitation. Rolling her eyes, the girl hopped onto the bed, right beside the prince, who had devolved into a depressed mush merging with the sheets. “Tt – typical spoiled prince. You do not comprehend how lucky you are, you stupid fool. If it were me, I would be - “

Mikasa, interrupted Ymir’s desperately unneeded monologue with a heated glare.

Armin, ever the chipper peacekeeper, joined the Ymir on the bed and started petting the back of Eren’s head, as the prince’s face was too busy becoming one with the pillow. “Don’t worry Eren, it’s just for the summer. It will make your mother reeeally happy – and plus I hear Krista’s a nice girl!”

It was tradition for the Paradis monarchy for the youngest heir to wed a noble, often the decision of who already being decided before birth. It was a union created purely for practicality – whether it be power, funds or influence. Carla was betrothed to Grisha before her birth, because of her family’s noble status. But luckily for the pair, love was also a part of it.

Eren’s head resurfaced for a few fleeting moments. “But you guys are only here for the summer! I can't even play. Mom says I’ve got to spend time with that stupid girl.”

“Stupid!?! You little -“ Ymir quipped before forcibly grabbing the prince.

As Armin and Mikasa worked on separating Ymir and Eren before one killed the other, a knock on the bedroom door interrupted their commotion.

“Young prince? Is everything alright? Things seem to be getting a bit rowdy in there.”

It was Hannes, Captain of the Guard. Also, the young prince’s favourite person. Hannes was kind to the young boy and told him stories of war and adventure. Hannes was the one who trained the prince in swordsmanship -- using _wooden_ swords, of course. Eren loved these sessions. Holding a sword, even a fake one, always gave him a rush of adrenaline. The eight-year-old dreamed of becoming a skilled swordsman: weaving your sword toward your opponent, countering with your sword reaching the sky, analysing the weaknesses of your opponent in heart-racing combat. To the prince, it seemed like something he was born to do. Thus he was endlessly grateful for Hannes. 

Clawing his way out of Ymir’s feral grip, Eren made a sprint to open the bedroom door, with Ymir hot on his heels.

“Young prince! What are you, -“ Was all the captain managed before a hyperactive young prince leaped into the man’s arms.

“Hannes! You’re back! Does that mean father is back as well? “  
  


Hannes smiled sadly at the young boy, gently guiding him back to the ground, in the arms of his friends. “I apologise, your majesty. I’m not sure when he’ll return, but I believe it will be soon.”

The King completes an annual tour of the kingdom to raise moral, exert royal govern and address conflicts and concerns that require a physical presence. This often requires many weeks of the King’s time, leading the Queen, with assistance from advisors, to uphold rule in his absence.

“I hear your Fiancé has come to visit. Are you excited? This is your first time meeting her, if I’m correct.”

Eren rolled his eyes at the question. Of course it was the latest gossip running rampage throughout the castle. Folding his arms stubbornly, which proved quite the task in his too-tight suit, the young prince snorted, “I don’t care about her.”

Ymir suddenly appeared beside the shorter boy. “I do!”

“You say that about every noble girl you see!” Eren yelled, glaring at the girl.

“It’s true!”

“Liar! How can it be true for so many people?!”

Ymir winked, bringing her hands into the air with a swagger. “What can I say? I have a big heart.”

Armin rolled his eyes, as did Mikasa. “More like a big mouth.”

Ymir, ready to release her claws onto the blond, was held back by Hannes. “Maybe it’s time you head down, prince?” He said, glancing at the boy.

“But I’m hungry!”

“Eh? No food was sent to your room?”

“There was, but we ate it already.”

Mikasa tapped her close friend’s shoulder. “Don't you mean ‘you’ ate it all?” Earning a giggle from the blond beside her.

Eren gave Mikasa a pleading look, which was returned with a blank one.

Hannes turned on his heels and held one hand in the air, as if prepared to lead a band for the King. “Well, there’s no helping it! A growing boy’s a growing boy!” And with a smile on his face, continued, “let us find you some food for you and your comrades, young Prince! Petra and Oluo have been cooking up a feast in the kitchen all morning. I’m sure you’ve smelled it!” The captain joked. Eren’s loud stomach gurgle was enough of an answer. With that, the captain and his band of young mischiefs marched towards the castle kitchen.

* * *

The group quickly found their way to the castle’s large, yet very full kitchen. 

The kitchen had shelves filled up to the brim with food, chefs and servants walking around everywhere and tables stacked with a bountiful number of meals. The sound of knives against wooden boards met Eren’s ears and the smell of something absolutely delicious was making the boy’s mouth water.

Ymir decided to wander off to the castle garden, followed by Mikasa and Armin, who felt they only needed one meal for breakfast.

The shuffling and bustling around of the surprisingly hefty amount of cooks made it difficult for Eren and Hannes to find the person they were looking for. But eventually the duo found the petite, sandy blonde. The young boy quickly walked up to her, stomach already twisting in anticipation.

“Ah, there’s our future king! Are you feeling a bit hungry?” Asked Petra, who seemed to be very busy. She was looking at the young prince but still chopping the carrots for the meal she was preparing.

The young brunette nodded enthusiastically.

“What’s the magic word, your highness?” Hannes asked from behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder and kneeling to his height.

“Please!”

Petra smiled warmly at the boy. She wiped her hands on her apron and bent down to pat his head. “Only because you’re my favourite prince. I’ve got some bread in the oven - won’t be too long now.”

Oluo, another one of the castle’s chefs, entered the kitchen. He was holding a basket of colourful vegetables with a bored expression on his face. Oluo’s eyes immediately fell on the young prince and his expression changed from dull to surprised. “Your highness? Aren’t you supposed to be in the courtyard?” He yelled over all the other sounds of the bustling kitchen.

Petra grimaced at the sight of the man. “Eren’s feeling a bit hungry. Probably nervous about seeing, y’know, them.”

Eren, for what felt like the hundredth time that day, rolled his eyes. “I’m not nervous!” The boy remarked with frustration.

Hannes nonchalantly glanced at Eren, then to Petra, to who he whispered, “listen to how nervous he sounds.”

“Eh! I think the boy just has quite an appetite - I’ve given him a large breakfast and he’s still hungry!” Oluo pretended to sound annoyed, fooling no one. 

Petra sighed, wiped some sweat off her forehead and snatched the basket out of the man’s hands. “I think your diet is rubbing off on him.”

Eren giggled.

Oluo and Petra were a pair that always amused the eight-year-old. Every time Eren would visit them in the kitchen, they would bicker non-stop about something an ordinary person would consider extremely trivial. It usually started from Oluo bragging about his many (supposed) accomplishments, and then continuing with his partner scolding him for his egotistic ways. 

The captain took a deep breath and shifted uncomfortably in his armour. “Whoo! It’s like an oven in here!” He took a seat on one of the wooden chairs in the kitchen. He gestured for the young prince to do the same as the boy waited for his snack. “Don’t worry your highness. A good, hefty diet means you’ll make for a strong young man when you’re older!” He said encouragingly, ringing his hand around the boy’s neck - a habit of the man’s. 

Oluo winked at the young prince and flexed his muscles in an overly confident way. “A strong man like me, your highness?” 

Eren gave the man a forced smile in fake agreement. Oluo, for the years the boy had known the man, had more than a tendency to be overly confident. He liked to boast about his many ‘qualities’ as if he were a very muscular and brave warrior with stories of living through The Great War. In Eren’s opinion, the man was neither of said things. He was tall, but more on the skinny side. To the young heir’s knowledge, the toughest thing he had been through was biting his own tongue because he had a habitof chewing weirdly. Eren would never tell the man this, though.

Petra walked past her fellow chef and gave the basket to one of the cooks in the kitchen. “You speak so confidently yet you barely qualify as a man.”

The young prince chuckled at that, and so did the other cooks in the kitchen.

“P-Petra! That’s not how a good wife talks to their husband!” 

“Stop saying such nonsense like you’re so wise. And stop calling me your wife!”

“But you always nag at me like one!”

“Stupid Oluo! Stop being lazy and start cooking!”

“Don’t tell me what to-” At that moment Oluo bit his tongue. Blood rushed from his mouth and the man wailed in pain as a result.

The prince half wanted to go help the poor man, but Oluo pretty much did that daily. It must be another gift from Ymir that the man could still speak. 

Petra handed the young boy a small loaf of bread wrapped around a handkerchief, ignoring Oluo, his injury and his wailing. “Here you go your highness, freshly baked. Nothing too special. And do not listen to Oluo. Be a strong man like Hannes.” 

Hannes smirked proudly. “You see, Eren? You’re lucky to have such a smart, wonderful woman teach you the truest and the wisest of things.” The man said with a wink.

“Oh, you…” The petite blonde blushed, a hand curling around her mouth.

“I cath stiii hear yuu!” Cried Oluo.

Eren gladly took the loaf from the chef’s free hand and gave the young woman a grateful smile. “Thank you Petra! You’re the best!” Eren chirped. The boy thought Petra of something closer than a chef. The brunette had known her for a short time - but she had always been exceptionally kind to him, and to pretty much everyone else - save for Oluo, of course.

The prince quickly began to feast on his snack.

“Eren, why don’t you go find your friends? I’ll find you in a couple of minutes. I’d like to help Petra for a bit.” The man asked Eren, however held a glace with a blushing Petra. It grossed Eren out.

The boy agreed in the end. With a curt, “’kay…” he began his short journey to the castle garden.

* * *

As Eren strolled into the garden, his eyes fell upon Ymir, Mikasa, Armin sitting beside Reiner, one of the advisors’ son, and Sasha, daughter of one of the bakers. The group was under one of the many peach trees that decorated the luscious garden.

As the prince closed the distance between he and the group, Sasha suddenly turned her head to face the prince. Closing her eyes, the young girl began making exaggerated sniffing motions. Even when Eren finally reunited with the group, sitting between Mikasa and Armin, the young girl kept staring pleadingly at him, giving the prince that hybrid puppy-dog desperate beggar expression. The boy only glared back at her, already knowing what she was so eager to ask. To which he was met with a glare back.

As Ymir and Reiner continued discussing the many nuances of ‘Krista Lenz’ and her bountiful beauty, Armin became distracted by the non-verbal intense argument the prince and Sasha were currently having. The blond looked to the wise Mikasa, and the young raven simply shook her head with closed eyes, knowing it would be a fruitless cause.

Moments passed before Sasha inevitably broke her resolve. “Please your majesty! I beg you! Haven’t you eaten enough!?” The brunette pleaded, throwing her arms onto the furious prince across from her, tears dramatically rolling from her eyes.

Eren only grew more infuriated, throwing his half-eaten bread onto a confused Reiner and hopping to his feet. “How would you know!? Maybe I haven’t eaten anything today! Maybe I didn’t eat anything yesterday! What if I’m starving?!” He angrily spewed, fists clenched by his side.

Sasha quickly snatched the sacred loaf from Reiner with speed only rivalled by an angry wild animal, with the blond still too stunned and confused by the entire ordeal. Getting to her feet, she met Eren’s heated glaze. Taking a tiny piece from the loaf, she offered it to Eren with euphoria plastered onto her face. “Here… half.”

“Prince! Young Prince!”

The group turned to the source of the sound. It was Hannes, waving a hand to the group, sprinting towards them. “It’s time Eren! Come with me!”

For a split second, Eren thought of running into the depths of the garden, hiding from the world. That way he would not have to marry some girl he didn't even know. And he could spend summer playing with his friends. And he could have more time sparring with Hannes. And he-

“Young Prince!” Hannes yelled, already grabbing his arm, as Eren was too busy fantasizing.

Mikasa gave the boy a worried look and guilt immediately churned in his stomach. The prince hated making Mikasa worry.

Armin grabbed Eren’s shoulder with a reassuring smile. “I’m sure it’ll be fine Eren! We’ll be with you all summer long. Any problems and we will all be here for you!”

The prince smiled in response, however it did nothing to relieve the massive pool of dread he felt gathering in his stomach. Albeit there was no more time to mourn all the fun opportunities he was going to miss, as he was already being tugged by Hannes back into the castle. Mikasa and Armin trailed behind the pair. 

“Oh no! Poor prince! Having to marry such a beautiful girl! That must suck… Oh you poor thing… Maybe Mommy can buy you another castle to make you _feel_ better. Tch.” Ymir scoffed, flipping her short hair and folding her arms, following the group.

Reiner laughed, scratching the back of his head, “eh, if all goes wrong, I’m willing to be the replacement.”

“You will have to kill me for the chance.” Ymir replied, smirking.

Sasha, suddenly back into the present after demolishing the bread loaf, asked innocently, “do you think we can have some of the banquet?” After no response she continues, “maybe leftovers? Guys?”

“Oh, be quiet Sasha.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren meets his betrothed, a horse face and a peculiar raven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this took me days to write! Anyways, finally some Levi!

** Year 843 **

Standing under the portcullis of the courtyard entrance was the queen, and beside her was the rumbustious prince. The sun glare licked the boy’s face, who was sweating furiously.

“How long now, Mom?” Eren pleaded, gathering his mother’s silky mahogany dress in his small hands.

The queen glared down at the eight-year-old, swatting his hands away. “However long it takes, Eren! Now stop asking.”

The boy scoffed, folding his arms stubbornly, accepting defeat.

As silence once again enveloped the duo, a beautiful white carriage was suddenly seen peeping over the horizon. The scene was so picturesque and out of a fairy tale that it made the Eren want to vomit. The queen visibly tensed beside her son, perfect red lips gleaming in anticipation. She then brought her hand to rest on Eren’s shoulder, pulling him close, communicating a united front to anyone looking. The boy simply rolled his teal eyes, mouth scowling.

As the carriage crept closer, Eren’s stomach dropped in dread. Once that carriage arrived at its destination, his fate would be sealed.

Although, peculiarly, the prince discovered several carts trailing behind the carriage. Curiosity piqued, the brunette pulled on his mother’s dress once again, “mom, why are they bringing so many people?”

“Lord Lenz preferred… a few of his own staff to care for his family and tend to the belongings he wishes to bring,” the queen stated in an uneasy tone. She, too, was probably bewildered by the vast amount of people to be staying within the castle for the summer.

“Where will they sleep? We don’t have enough rooms for all of them,” Eren worried, however failed to conceal his excitement at the possibility of meeting so many new people.

“Later, Eren. Now, smile!” Carla commanded, sending a fixed broad grin to the now stationary carriage. Eren followed suit, albeit begrudgingly.

Lord Lenz was first off the carriage, assisted by one his servants. He was a thin man, the prince noted. He was tall and endowed with wide shoulders, however juxtaposed with a skinny body, giving the man a strange, gangly silhouette. Kind of like Oluo, Eren deduced.

The man gave a small wave to the duo, to which Carla swiftly returned with one of her own. Lord Lenz then went to the opposite side of the carriage, hidden from Eren’s sight. From what the boy could see, the lord was helping someone off the carriage.

“That’s her, Eren! Are you excited?” His mother asked in glee, now holding her son’s sweaty hand. She seemed to have enough excitement to make up for the boy’s lack of. Eren only grunted in reply, frowning at the floor, counting the last seconds of freedom he would have for a long while.

As the prince once again glanced up at the carriage, he was now finally able to see his betrothed.

Krista Lenz’s reputation did not precede her; she was as beautiful as everyone said she would be. The pale, small girl possessed big crystal blue eyes framed by thick, curled lashes. Her hair was a soft blonde, carefully braided behind her back with immaculate care. To compliment her gentle looks, she was fitted into a pale blue dress, adorned with many exotic-looking gems. Now Eren could understand Ymir’s constant talks of the girl’s beauty.

Still, Eren was famously stubborn. He wasn’t about to go weak in the knees for some girl he didn’t even know simply because she was pretty. Clenching his fists, the boy silently cursed Ymir and the forced union under his breath.

“Queen Carla,” Lord Lenz greeted kindly, “it brings me endless joy to see you again.” On one knee, he kissed the woman’s soft hand with reverence. Carla curtseyed in response.

The man then turned his attention the young boy beside the queen. “Ah, the mighty prince Eren! It’s been an eternity,” he began brightly, then bowed to the boy; a smile visible beneath his scruffy blond beard. “Lord Lenz. But please, call me Henry.”

‘Henry’ offered a large, calloused hand to Eren, who hesitated for a moment, but shook it with strength. Although the boy could still be so shy around strangers, he was determined to make a good impression, at least for the sake of his mother.

“It’s so nice to finally see you again, my boy. Last time I saw you, you were still in diapers!” The man laughed in memory, “you’ve grown so much. I can already see you becoming a strong, brave king like your father!”

Eren flushed from the praise, hiding behind his mother, which earned a chuckle from both adults.

The young prince then turned his attention to the quiet girl beside the man.

“Ah, where are my manners? This…” The lord then stood behind the small girl, placing both hands on the shoulders of her petite figure “…Is Krista, my daughter. Won’t you greet the queen and your betrothed, my sweet?”

The young girl, with a quiet, small voice befitting of her meek stature, greeted instinctively, “It is very nice to meet you both. I am Lady Krista Lenz. Please take care of me.” She then promptly performed a courtesy, as if on cue.

The prince noted that it was like the girl had been prepared for this. Now he felt a bit grateful that he hadn’t been asked to prepare.

The queen took the young girl’s small hands in hers, sending her a grin so warm that it could melt ice. “Oh how lovely it is to see you, Krista. You look so ravishing!”

The young girl’s lips formed a tiny smile, blue eyes downcast. Such a distant reaction to such a loving greeting. Eren concluded that maybe she was shy, or maybe she was scared.

Carla, not at all perturbed by the awkwardness like Eren was, withdrew her grasp and abruptly pushed her son forward with her elbow, quickly closing the distance between Eren and Krista. The boy made an embarrassing squeak and rubbed his attacked side, glaring daggers at his mother, who feigned obliviousness. 

Eren started bug-eyed at his fiancé, at a loss for what to do.

“H... hi…” He began awkwardly. The prince then peered back to his mother, expecting instruction.

“Don’t be so improper, Eren; kiss her hand, it is what a gentleman would do,” the queen ordered stiffly, glaring at the boy.

The boy’s feet were rooted to the ground, anxiousness crawling up his throat. Kiss her hand? He grimaced. Nobody mentioned anything about kissing. Even such a small, affectionate act repulsed Eren.

As if the situation could no become anymore mortifying, “I think we’d all like to be out of the sun, Eren, so get a move along!” His mother snapped, sparing no sympathy for her son.

Taking a deep breath, Eren carefully took Krista’s hand in his, not daring to meet her gaze. After a pregnant pause, he kissed the silky soft skin, before quickly darting behind his mother, face red enough to rival a rose. His mother snickered, apologising to Lord Lenz and Krista for her son’s bashfulness.

As the group began their journey towards the inside of the castle, Eren could not help but pity himself. He would have to kiss his summer goodbye, as now he would be too busy ‘courting’ his fiancé to do anything even resembling fun. The fact heartbreaking enough to make him choke back a sob. Now the boy was a tiny bit glad Ymir was there, although Eren would rather be ten feet below the cold ground to ever admit the fact to the girl’s smug face. At least she could distract his fiancé with her non-stop bouts of ungrounded love-confessions, giving him more time to spend with his friends.

* * *

“What was it like?”

“What was what like?”

“Kissing her, you fool!” Ymir snapped.

Eren had swiftly reunited with his friends upon entering the castle’s insides, almost immediately abandoning his mother and the Lenz duo without a word. The group was currently huddled in the security and privacy of the prince’s bedroom.

“I didn’t _kiss_ her, I kissed her hand. I didn’t want to, but Mom made me.” The boy scoffed; face scrunched in disgust. “And I hated it!”

Ymir rolled her eyes and poked her tongue at the prince.

“There’s so many of them…” Armin said in awe, glancing at the addition of all the new company from the bedroom window.

Eren hummed in agreement. “Lord Lenz likes to have his own servants take care of his stuff. I dunno what’s wrong with _our_ servants, but whatever.”

Mikasa walked over to the same window Armin occupied, intrigued by the mass line of servants, maids, guards and more. “Wow… Like a caravan.”

“Caravan? What’s a caravan?” Reiner asked, joining the duo.

“It’s a group of people moving together.”

Eventually all children in the room surrounded the window.

“Ha, that boy looks like a horse!” Eren shouted, pointing to one of the boys holding a guard’s hand. The other children giggled in response, the exception being Mikasa.

“Look at how much food they brought!” Armin beamed.

Ymir snorted, “don’t know how long that’ll last with Sasha around…”

The children continued observing the Lenz staff integrating themselves with the castle. Suddenly a knock at the door broke the silence the group had found themselves in.

“Who is it?” Eren yelled.

“Open the door.”

The prince flinched. It was his mother, and if the tone of her voice was anything to go by, she was mad. Very mad. Not wanting to face the full wrath of disobeying the queen, the boy quickly unlocked the door. What greeted Eren was the sight of his very angry mother holding the hand of a very nervous Krista.

His mother glared hell at Eren – if looks could kill. “You just left her,” she paused, cursing under her breath. “You’re too much like your father.”

She scanned the room, eyeing each of his dumbfounded friend’s with suspicion. They all felt like they were being tested, and they were failing, miserably.

“Why don’t you and your _friends_ spend some time with your _betrothed_ in the garden,” Carla all but demanded, voice laced with poison. Poor Krista could only stand aside and watch the queen traumatise the children purely because she wanted the prince to spend time with the young girl.

Eren struggled to hide his immense displeasure, however visibly stiffened as Carla drew close.

“ _Now_.”

* * *

The band of friends found themselves under the same peach tree they surrounded only hours earlier, however now with the addition of Krista and the loss of Sasha, who was assisting her father in the castle kitchen.

Ymir and Reiner were all too eager to sit adjacent to Eren’s betrothed, while Mikasa and Armin remained by his side.

An awkward silence plagued the group before Armin started, “So, well… My name’s Armin!” He pointed to himself and grinned at Krista, who smiled back.

The blond boy then pointed to the raven on Eren’s other side, who flushed and buried her face deeper into her sacred red scarf. “And this is Mikasa!”

The aforementioned sent a two-finger wave towards Krista, who nodded in return.

“And I…” Ymir began, wearing her ego on her shoulder, “…am Ymir. Loyal, diligent, brave servant to the King.” She finished with a wink. Eren felt like if his eyes rolled back any further, they would roll straight off his face.

Krista, momentarily bewildered at the other girl’s strange antics, blushed a pleasant pink and chuckled. She then glanced expectantly at the boy on her left, who had yet to introduce himself.

Reiner gulped, “R-reiner, m-my name is… I think?” The blond mumbled in a mess, too nervous to even reciprocate the young girl’s gaze.

Ymir almost doubled over at the pathetic greeting. Eren and Armin giggled amongst themselves.

Taking pity on the boy, Krista ignored the fact Reiner was unsure of what his name was and added, “well, it’s very nice to meet you, Reiner.”

Ymir blanched in horror over the fact that Reiner, who looked absolutely smitten, had gotten such special treatment.

“Gotta marry her…” Reiner whispered, too silent for anyone’s ears.

“So… What do you guys wanna do?” Eren asked in a flat tone, wanting to emphasise his boredom.

“Want to see my new magic? My father’s been teaching me how to summon vines!” Armin suggested eagerly, eyes wide in barely contained excitement.

“Well pipsqueak, _I_ learned how to summon fire!” Ymir bragged, smirking.

“Really!?”

“Yup. See that stick? I can turn it into a torch!”

Grabbing a twig, Ymir closed her eyes in deep concentration, hand hovering over the stick. The children surrounded her, bristling in anticipation.

Suddenly, a small flame crawled its way to existence on top of the stick. The group gawked, all amazed.

To summon vines at a young age was astonishing, but fire? It was infamous for being one of the most difficult elements to summon. Not many ever gained the ability in their lifetime, with even less able to call themselves proficient.

Eren was surprised the freckled girl hadn’t bragged about this leap in progress earlier, but then realised she was probably saving it for Krista. He felt like smacking himself for even wondering, because _of course_ Ymir would do that. 

“You have to teach me!” Armin begged, eyes glistening in envy.

Ymir scoffed, “Psh, one simply can’t be _taught_ , silly Armin.” She shot quick looks over to Krista to make sure she was staring.

“I… My father taught me how to summon bits of dirt!” Reiner exclaimed.

“Might as well tell me you can watch paint dry!” Ymir laughed, satisfied with knowing she was the most skilled in the magic field thus far.

“You just wait…” Eren grumbled, attempting to hide his immense jealousy. The prince would not ever be able to use any type of magic until his father passed the gift unto him. Till then, he was ‘barren,’ a slang used to those who were not able to use magic. Many found themselves in this position, as the gift King Helios shared many years ago was only passable hereditarily. Some chose to bring their piece to the grave, and some chose to pass it onto their children.

The prince’s gaze then wondered its way over to his fiancé, curious.

“Krista…” The boy began, the young girl immediately at attention. “Can you summon magic?”

Krista flushed. To ask of one’s ability to cast magic was usually considered too prudent, as those that were barren were generally seen as weak.

The young girl broke eye contact to stare at an unassuming flower below her. “I’m not sure. Our alchemist says it’s something you can’t rush, but I should be able to at least…” She picked the plant, playing with it in her fingers. “…Summon a flower. And I can’t.”

“Don’t worry, I am too,” Mikasa chimed, giving the other a reassuring smile.

Chewing the inside of his cheek, Eren tried to find it in his heart to pity Krista and look past the fact, but he only felt dread grow deeper in his stomach. This is his fiancé, the person he’ll spend the rest of his life with. She was just so… delicate. Like a mouse, timid and shy. As if a change in the wind would have her on all fours. And that’s on top of the fact that she couldn’t cast magic, and obviously couldn’t fight.

As the conversation drifted to another subject, Eren wondered if the great goddess Ymir had given him such an unfortunate fate. Was it karma for burying the entirety of Ymir’s wardrobe in the garden last year? Or when he ate that special meat Sasha was saving, then blamed it on Reiner? Maybe when he convinced a bunch of local children that Armin was his little sister?

* * *

The first few days of the summer were very eventful. Eren introduced himself to a wide variety of new company, who were all very kind to the prince. Half-way through the season he encountered the boy with the very long face. It was a distasteful experience, however the sandy blond got along well enough with the rest of his friends, so Eren had no choice but to accept his presence.

But sometimes he’d catch ‘horse face’ (Eren’s favourite nickname for the boy) making lovey-dovey eyes at Mikasa. It required at least two knights and a stern word from his mother to separate the two from a brawl.

The queen had organised for Krista and Eren to share tutoring sessions with the infamous Lord Shadis, loyal ally to the king. The normally hyperactive boy wouldn’t dare mutter a word during these lectures; forced into submission by the sheer volume of the Lord’s voice.

Eren’s favourite part of the summer was by far his sparring sessions with Hannes. The guard always complimented the boy’s sense of purpose. Even though the prince was gifted in hand-to-hand combat, his sword and bow skills were lacking. But with time, the man knew the young boy would improve. The guard had yet to see anyone with more determination than Eren. 

* * *

“Check this out!” Eren exclaimed to his band of friends as he performed one of the invasive sword manoeuvres Hannes had taught him on a wooden dummy. “Pretty cool, right?”

Jean, leaning against one of the trees in the prince’s courtyard, scoffed, “yeah, maybe for a six-year-old.” He then walked beside the prince, stealing the wooden sword. “Let me show you something _actually_ cool.”

The taller boy then performed a complex series of parries and sways with ease, much to Eren’s annoyance.

“Wow, Jean!” Armin praised, attention diverted from his alchemist book.

“Armin!? Don’t compliment him! It wasn’t even that cool!” Snarled the prince, fists clenched. 

“Not cool!? My grandma can work a sword better than you!” Jean growled.

Infuriated by the attack on his pride, Eren violently grabbed the collar of Jean’s white shirt, who dropped the sword from the sudden motion. “Stupid horse-face! I’ll show you cool!”

“Ladies, ladies, we get it. No need to make this a beauty contest.” Ymir snorted, laying in the grass beside a flower braiding Krista.

“Eren, can I try?” Mikasa asked innocently, now standing beside the prince.

The brunette loosened his grip on Jean and turned to Mikasa, perplexed. “Eh, you sure? Because last time…” Eren was abruptly cut off by Mikasa picking up the fallen sword and slashing the dummy in one fatal swoop, splitting it in half from the middle.

The prince sighed, out of exasperation more than annoyance “…you broke it.”

Jean gawked at the raven, somehow looking even more smitten.

“Mikasa… You seriously need to teach me that!” Armin beamed, hopping to the girl’s side.

“Y-yeah… That was…” Jean muttered, enraptured by the girl.

The raven blushed, “I don’t know how to teach it. It just…” She glanced down anxiously at the wooden sword in her palm, twisting it.

Sensing her distress, Eren gently removed the weapon from Mikasa’s grasp, momentarily relieving her of everyone’s attention. “Don’t worry Mikasa, you don’t have to explain it. You’re just awesome!” He reassured, flashing the girl an understanding grin.

The raven gasped silently, her face quickly retreating into her scarf to hide her red blush.

“Tomorrow, horse-face!” The boy declared, and without warning pointed the wooden sword at his foe.

Jean, obviously confused, asked, “tomorrow… what?”

The prince smirked, tracing a finger along the edge of the sword. “We duel.”

“Eh? That’s not very safe Eren…” Interjected Armin, sharing a worried glance with Mikasa.

“But what if my dad needs me tomorrow?” Jean pondered.

“Then say no!”

“I can’t just say no! He’s my dad!”

Grabbing the taller boy’s collar once again, Eren drew close to Jean, breath hot against the other’s ear.

“Tomorrow, here, after my tutoring,” He whispered low and threatening, then peered back at Mikasa. “Or I tell her about all the _stories_ you write about her in your diary.”

Jean shivered, staring doe-eyed at the prince. “H-how do… You wouldn’t… You don’t have proof!”

Eren chuckled evilly. “Me _and_ Ymir were reading it last night.”

The taller boy turned jelly in Eren’s grip, letting his neck fall awkwardly.

“Fiiine…” Jean breathed, frustrated at knowing there was no alternative.

“I don’t know…” Armin mumbled to Mikasa. “I don’t think the Queen will be happy if she finds out about this.”

Mikasa nodded in agreement.

* * *

That night Eren found himself restless on his large bed, too much pent-up energy from that afternoon and excitement for the day ahead. He was itching to practice, to fight. The boy wanted to be as prepared as possible to kick Jean’s ugly mug in front of everyone. 

Careful not to rouse the guards outside his room, the boy silently made his way off the bed, rubbing his teal eyes. He scanned the area for the wooden sword he haphazardly threw away as soon as he entered the bedroom. Bingo! The boy’s eyes landed on the children’s toy across the room and tiptoed his way to it.

Picking it up, Eren realised he wouldn’t be able to practice without at least making _some_ noise. Cursing under his breath, the prince then realised he knew of a place to practice. In the corner of his courtyard was a hidden garden, surrounded by tall oak trees, perfect for hiding from any guards on duty. However, getting there was the issue. Eren would have to employ the stealth tactics Hannes had began teaching him.

After piling pillows underneath his blanket to act as a make-shift decoy, the boy began his journey. Putting on a brown cardigan, he roped a lantern over his shoulder and bit the wooden sword, then got to climbing down his bedroom window.

* * *

Parry.

Parry.

Sway. That’s what Jean did, right?

Eren cursed to himself. He was at a loss for what to do! What a fruitless expedition this was. The boy unhappily plopped himself on a log below one of the tall oak trees, hands on his chin, sulking. His training wasn’t at the level Jean’s currently was, therefor he had no knowledge of any complicated manoeuvres to practice. 

He kicked the fallen sword away in frustration. The prince could already imagine the smirk horse-face would have, and the weeks of teasing he would have to endure from Ymir. Damn it!

His teal eyes lay on the sword hidden in the bed of grass with a new sense of determination. No. He wasn’t going to give up! He would just need to be… creative. ‘ _When your back is against the wall, there is only one thing to do, and that is turn around and fight_ ,’ Eren fondly recalled his father’s wise words.

Grabbing the wooden sword once again, the boy began flailing it wildly, passionately piercing the air. He closed his eyes, envisioning Jean’s horse face sneering at him. The image was foul, so much so that Eren had to swallow down rising bile. However, after doing so, his sword weaved through the air just that little bit faster.

“What are you doing?”

Eren squealed in shock, swiftly hiding the sword behind his back and turned in the direction of the voice.

The owner of the voice was an unfamiliar small boy, almost as small as Krista. He had short black hair and dark eyes, sending Eren an unimpressed but curious look.

The young prince blushed furiously. “N-Nothing!”

The small boy’s uninterpretable steel orbs hovered over Eren’s arms, concealed behind his back. “What are you hiding?” He asked in a monotonous tone.

“Nothing!” Eren repeated, failing to sound inconspicuous.

The other boy scoffed, dropping the lantern in his left hand in favour of folding his arms. “What, is that the only word you know, idiot? Shall I get a guard?”

The prince gasped, hands raised in surrender, dropping the wooden sword. “N-no! Please!” He pleaded, eyes watering. If his mother ever found out –

“Why do you have that…” The raven eyed the weapon suspiciously, thin brows furrowing. Eren couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the boy, even if he was so much smaller. “You’re weird. I’m getting a guard.” The strange boy turned on his heels.

“W-Wait!” The prince begged, grabbing the boy’s thin arm before he could move any further.

“Don’t touch me!” The raven howled, violently shoving the brunette to the ground, sharp features ignited in sudden fury.

Eren was shaken by the unexpected strength from the other. As the shorter boy retreated to the castle, now looking quite mad, the prince quickly yelled “don’t you know who I am!?”

The raven continued walking towards the castle, not facing the brunette, “why would I care?”

“I’m the prince!”

The small boy froze, panic setting in. He peered back to the prince; flabbergasted expression highlighted by the moonlight. “I pushed you…” He began, eyes full of fear and voice so different from earlier.

Eren rubbed his neck, giving the other an embarrassed but reassuring grin. “Oh, I don’t care. You’re really strong you know!”

The small boy was dumbfounded for a moment, before schooling his face into a neutral frown.

“How’d you find me?” The prince continued, relieved that the shorter boy had stopped moving.

“I heard all the ruckus you were making, and just followed the noise,” the raven deadpanned.

The brunette blushed when the raven smirked at him. Had Eren really been that loud? He did recall tripping over a few barrels once he climbed down the window...

“You’re lucky those sad excuses for guards are a bunch of lazy imbeciles; they were probably too busy sleeping to hear you.”

The prince’s ears perked from hearing this. “Why are _you_ awake?” He asked with genuine curiosity.

The raven shrugged simply. “I get bored. This place is much nicer when everyone’s asleep.”

“So, you just walk around alone, at night?” Eren gawked, sending the shorter boy a puzzled look.

The boy scoffed, black hair flipping in the night wind. “I’m the stableboy for Lord Lenz. I have to clean and smell horse shit all day. It’s nice leave that hellhole once in a while.”

“Oh! Well, I’ve never seen you before…” Eren wondered, not able to recall a single moment he had seen the strange boy. He had only ever seen Furlan in the stable, the young stableboy his mother had hired.

“Because I only take care of Lord Lenz’s 'precious' steeds,” the raven sarcastically drawled, now blatantly staring at the wooden sword beside the prince’s feet. “Anyway, what are _you_ doing?”

“J-just... Err… Practicing!” The boy laughed weakly, trying to feign casualness. Unfortunately, the façade didn’t fool the strange raven, who’s steel eyes glared at the prince sceptically. Eren scratched his neck awkwardly.

“This late? In your pyjamas? You look like a halfwit,” the raven stated flatly. The brunette blushed a furiously, forgetting how ridiculous he must look.

“Well, are you going to continue?” The boy asked innocently, pretending as if he hadn’t just caught the prince in an incredibly embarrassing moment. He then nonchalantly sat on the log Eren was on only moments ago. Smirking at the abashed brunette, the raven then continued, “don’t let me interrupt you, your _highness.”_

Eren hadn’t blushed so hard in his life.

Picking up the sword again, the prince weakly struck the air, unable to concentrate with the presence on the strange boy. Minutes passed with the prince trying his best not to embarrass himself further in front of the other boy.

“Tch, you aren’t doing it right. You look like waddling fish on dry land,” the raven stated, clearly unimpressed by Eren’s display of swordsmanship.

Aggravated by another attack on his skill, the prince stomped his foot on the ground, glaring at the other, nostrils flared. “Like you could do any better!”

“Be quiet, idiot! Are you trying to wake the entire castle?!” The raven quickly approached the other, disarming him of the sword.

The prince angrily stole it back, scowling at the shorter boy. “I’m sick of everyone making fun of me!”

“You’re going to hurt yourself, brat!” The raven yelled, taking the sword back once again.

“Just go away and let me practice!” The boy shouted back, even louder. He made a reach for the weapon in the other’s small hands, however the raven remained unrelenting in his grip.

The two tussled for a few breathless seconds, before Eren proved victorious. The boy forcefully stole the sword from the other, determination trumping the other’s strength. However, in the process of taking back the sword, Eren had accidently swung it high in the air, the motion causing the sword to cut the raven on the cheek.

The prince gasped after realising he’d done, staring doe-eyed at the now bleeding other. All pride at besting the other instantly vanishing, leaving only an immense guilt to churn in the boy’s stomach. He hadn’t meant it to go that far, but it was too late. He never wanted to cause pain to the other.

The raven stood deathly still, steel eyes wide and small mouth agape. The boy didn’t cry, though, instead calmly swiped his cheek with a finger, critical eyes studying the blood.

“I-I’m so sorry…” Eren began, voice delicate and full of concern. He couldn’t stop the mountain of tears threatening to pour down his cheeks at any moment. The prince stood awkwardly by the other, unsure of how to rectify his fault.

“Psh, I’m not a baby. I’ll survive. It doesn’t even hurt,” the raven offered, unexpectedly compassionate after noticing the vast guilt that gripped the prince.

However, Eren was not convinced. “Y-you’re shaking…”

“It’s from the cold. I’m fine, you clumsy idiot,” the smaller boy quipped, giving the other a small reassuring grin that left as quickly as it came.

The prince immediately shed his cardigan, handing it over to the other with a flaming blush, teary eyes to the floor. “Here, take it!”

The raven’s first instinct was to reject the clothing, as he despised being treated like a charity case. However, he decided to accept the gift, knowing the brunette would probably die of guilt if he rejected the proposal. Rolling his eyes, the raven draped the too-big cardigan over his small body. “Fine, just stop crying, you big baby.”

Eren attempted to do so, sniffing and aggressively rubbing his eyes. The raven offered him a handkerchief from his pocket, which was taken with a polite thank you.

“Now, let me show how to _actually_ use a sword.”

* * *

The night continued with the raven showing Eren how to use speed and momentum when using a sword, with the prince carefully taking note. The brunette had asked where the other had learned how to use a sword so effectively, with the raven only shrugging in response. As time came for Eren to return to his bedroom, he asked for the other’s name.

“Name’s Levi,” the raven answered coolly, picking up his lantern.

The prince sent the other a toothy grin, pointing a thumb to himself. “I’m Eren!”

“Idiot. I think I would know what the prince’s name would be.”

“You didn’t even know who I was!”

“Anyone would've mistaken you for a strange homeless thief in those pyjamas.”

Eren grimaced, remembering his ridiculous attire. He then glanced over to his partner, who was ready to disembark. “You can keep that” the prince pointed to the cardigan hanging off the other’s arms. “It suits you. You look cute,” the admission pouring out of his mouth before he could stop it. Eren promptly cursed under his breath, face reddening. How mortifying!

“I-I should go…” Levi suggested weakly, rubbing his elbow, an uncharacteristic pink hue colouring his pale cheeks. The brunette decided he rather liked the colour on Levi.

Wait, what was he thinking?

“Y-yeah me too…” Eren agreed. As Levi began to make his exit, the prince was quick to stop him in his tracks by grabbing the raven's thin wrist. At least this time the raven didn’t throw him to the ground at the touch. “Will you be here tomorrow?”

“I dunno. I might be too tired. I don’t usually do this every day.”

Eren frowned at the possibility of not seeing the other. Sensing the prince’s distress, Levi rolled his eyes.

“I’m sure we’ll see each other. I’ll know if you’re ever out here again,” the raven calmly explained, Eren’s grip becoming placid from hearing the words.

The brunette furrowed his brows. “But how?”

“Because you’re not exactly quiet, you oaf.”

Instead of being hurt by the insult, Eren felt reassured by it. “Well then, I guess I’ll be seeing you!”

Levi silently stared at the prince for a while, as if sizing him up. Eren, unknowing of what to do, twiddled his thumbs under the gaze. The raven then gave a sly smirk to the other, sending a strange pang to Eren’s gut.

“I’ll see you later, _Eren_.”

* * *

The prince found himself restless that night, too busy thinking about those steel – too busy hyping himself over the duel with Jean. Focus, Eren! As the next day rolled about, the brunette found himself constantly in a state of distraction. And once the duel came and went, with Jean proving victorious, Eren couldn’t find it in himself to care, even when Ymir cracked jokes about it for the rest of the day. The prince’s mind too preoccupied with thoughts of a certain, strange raven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is who I based Henry Lenz off of from the manga: https://attackontitan.fandom.com/wiki/High-ranking_man_from_the_Wall_Religion
> 
> Also I should note that none of this is Beta'd. Let me know what you think!


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